Welcome to the Underworld Tavern
by Winter
Summary: Having fully recovered from his injuries, Reace meets with a couple of old collegues in the mercenary business and the plot begins to thicken


Welcome to the underworld tavern  
  
By Edward "Winter" Weldon  
  
  
Man, you don't see this stuff in the brochure. I stroll down the street of one of   
Corneria city's less upmarket districts. Not that this area is unfamiliar to me or that   
it's really that bad around here. It's just that this particular district saw some of the   
fiercest street fighting of the war during the imperial invasion of Corneria.  
  
Unlike the shining silver towers and apartment building that you get down town, this   
area has somewhat lower buildings. Mostly prefabs, with some restoration of some of   
the older buildings. Most of those restored buildings are old style brick apartment   
buildings. Since the war of course there's been a good deal of reconstruction, but the   
effects of the war are still visible.   
  
Sounds rather reminiscent of myself at the moment. Following my rather unpleasant   
decompression accident, I spent a week in a cryogenic recovery freezer. The result is   
that I ache all over and my body thinks its winter, so I'm shedding and my fur is going   
white.   
  
Not that I don't look good with white fur, I mean my mother was white and so is my   
aunt Angela. It's just that the constant shedding is making me itchy. If one more   
person tells me to get my fleas seen to, I'm going to crush them so that their brains   
leek out of their veins like broken water pipes.  
  
No, I don't need to draw attention to myself. That's why I'm wearing a thermoptic   
camouflage coat over my black flight suit. If I get into trouble, I can just activate it,   
disappear and make my escape. Or at least that's what Tracer said when he sold it to   
me. Of course he also said that I can only activate it for about five minutes at a time or   
it will burn out. Then all I'll be left with is a particularly snazzy looking raincoat.  
  
I wonder if Jennifer would like my white fur? I slap myself on the side of the head   
and tell myself to focus. There will be plenty of time for romance later. Right now I   
have business to attend to. But, keeping my mind off her is difficult. Hell, I almost   
crashed on landing because I was thinking about her.  
  
Dad says I'm just a little out of it because of the accident (Whatever the accident   
was), Pigma is just too scared of my father to say anything and Leon…well he's not   
exactly been an "I'm okay, you're okay," type of guy since the end of the war. I think   
it may be something to do with his short and disastrous stint as Star Wolf squadron   
leader. My father still hasn't let him forget that one. But just how can I tell my dad   
that I'm in love with his mortal enemy's daughter.   
  
It's late spring here on Corneria. The sun is shining, but rain showers and wind make   
long coats like mine the predominant fashion, so I don't stand out too much, and this   
area is often frequented by mercenaries, military and star ship crews, so my flight suit   
doesn't look out of place either. I guess that's why they call this naborhood Corsair's   
alley.   
  
The district is only a few blocks from the main spaceport, so you get a wide variety of   
characters from all over Lylat and the surrounding systems. In fact a little up the   
street, a couple of badly dressed weasels tried to sell me some fake artefacts that they   
claimed were the last remnants of an ancient civilisation from the Antaris system. Of   
course, how many ancient alien civilisations manufacture their artefacts in Taiwan?  
  
Man, its only because I'm in a good mood that I didn't cap both of them right then   
and there. I sure my Jake Pliskin special would love to meet them. Up ahead I see the   
neon sign that indicates my destination. Lit up in red lights, a sexy feline deviless   
wearing a bask and twitching her arrow headed tail, winks and beckons passers by   
into the Underworld tavern, a favourite hangout for those in my particular line of   
work. Man I haven't been here in a while.   
  
The sign makes a pre-recorded purring sound as I walk past and down the stairs into   
the subterranean bar. It's still just like I remember, red brick walls, a large main room   
with a long bar at the back, a stage for the band in the centre, booths fitted to the walls   
right around the room with wooden tables and smaller tables fitted around the pillars   
holding up the ceiling. The band is playing covers on Sharon Apple, my favourite   
singer. Thankfully they do her songs justice, so I won't have to have strong words   
with them afterwards.  
  
I stride across the smoke filled room, keeping in time to the song being played and I   
make my way to the bar. Shane O'Hara the bar lady, was a fairly small tortoise shell   
cat in her early thirties, very attractive with her long red hair in a French plat and soft   
brown eyes. There was a rumour that Shane was the model for the neon sign outside.   
  
I slap my hand down on the bar to get her attention and say, "Hi Shane, how's thing   
been around here?" "Reace? We haven't had you in here in a while. Last I heard,   
you'd got yourself into a little trouble out by Shiva's rift," She replies, in her bright   
Irish accent. "Yeah, well I'm alive, so it wasn't anything I couldn't handle," I answer.  
  
"Aye, so what can I get you? The usual?" She asks, reaching for a bottle of wild snake   
she keeps under the bar. "Nah, I'm meeting someone, I'll take a bottle of Fortuna gold   
and three glasses," I reply. "Ah, so that's why those two were looking for you. A   
dingo and ocelot lass with a French accent were asking around for you. They're sat at   
the table over there," She said, pointing to a booth at the back of the tavern.  
  
Taking the bottle of potent blue spirit and the three glasses, I turned towards the table   
and said, "Thanks Shane, you can put this on my tab." "Aye, you're tab that you still   
haven't paid for a year," Shane said back, rather annoyed. "Aw Shane, you know I'm   
good for it, just think of it as a bigger payoff when I get round to paying you," I   
replied, slightly pleadingly. "Aye, I do know you're good for it, that's why I'm so   
annoyed that you haven't paid. Now come on Reace, I've got a business to run here,"   
She said.   
  
"Alright, next time I'm in I'll pay you. That's my solemn word, okay?" I said, placing   
my hand over my heart and the other in the air. Shane thought about this for a moment   
and then said, "Okay, but only because your dear departed mother, may she rest in   
peace, used to baby-sit me when I was little. And you better pay me back soon,   
because your bar tab is up to four figures," making the sign of the cross as she   
mentioned my mother. I bowed my head for a moment as well and replied," Thanks   
Shane, I won't forget this," and then walked off towards the table. Then from behind I   
heard Shane say, "Aye you won't forget because I won't let you forget."  
  
With bottle and glasses in hand I made it to the table where an unruly looking dingo   
with yellow fur and brown hair in a centre parting and wearing a black leather jacket   
and flyers shades was sat with a somewhat more petit but still dangerous looking   
female ocelot with black hair and Celtic style tattoo above her right eye, in a white   
crop-top, black stretch pants and a high pair of boots.  
  
"Skyler Montgomery and Anna Navarre, the two most unlikely partners in the   
galaxy," I said, the two of them spinning round in their seats instantly to face me.   
"Reace, Mon amee, we haven't seen you since Silhouette 13 was disbanded," Anna   
said cheerfully. "You're looking particularly svelte these day sport, come and have a   
drink and we'll discuss old times," Skyler followed up, his Australian accent heavy as   
ever.   
  
Both Skyler and Anna were at least ten years older than me. I was brought on as a   
dropship pilot for Silhouette 13, the mercenary commando outfit we all worked for   
until about a year ago. We specialised in corporate black-ops, missions that a big   
company wanted done, but didn't want to admit to. That often meant big payoffs, if   
you came back alive that is.  
  
That was why Silhouette 13 was disbanded. Out of a team of twenty-five, on our last   
mission only six team members came back. That's what the bottle was for. Placing it   
on the table, I poured three shots of the powerful blue stuff into the glasses and   
handed them to Skyler and Anna. They already seemed to understand and went quiet   
as they lifted their glasses.  
  
"To Silhouette 13. May our brothers in arms find peace," I said as we raised our   
glasses to fallen comrades. Then as one we downed our drinks and slammed the   
glasses back down onto the table. After a moment or two of silence, thinking about   
old friends lost, Anna spoke up," So why did you need to see us? After a year without   
hearing from you it's got to be important," She, her accent giving her a sly tone.  
  
Pulling up a chair I sat down on the side of the booth facing outwards into the bar.   
"You're right, this is pretty important. I need your help, "I said, keeping my voice   
low. Not particularly because someone might be listening, but rather because Shane   
had rules about conducting business in her bar. The last thing she needed was a gun   
battle started by a smuggling deal gone bad.  
  
"What kind of help?" Skyler asked quietly. Leaning in a little more I said, "It may not   
look like it, but this system's going to erupt pretty soon. Following the war, because   
of the sweeping advances that the Imperials made, often on the back of my father's   
team, Corneria was the only planet whose military made it through the war relatively   
intact. Add to that the destruction caused and the usual post-war economic problems,   
the other planets in the Lylat system are getting pretty nervous," Explaining in a cool,   
calm tone.  
  
"Any particular reason?" Anna asked. Keeping quiet I said, "Over the last few   
months, rogue units of the former Imperial navy have been getting bolder and started   
openly attacking civilian shipping. On top of that, pirate factions from the surrounding   
systems have been reported operating in this system as well and…there have been   
rumours that there's someone else out there."  
  
"Someone else? Who?" Skyler asked, slightly baffled. "I don't know. There's just   
rumours of someone out there packing state of the art firepower and a really short   
temper. The point is that this has all been enough to get the Cornerian government to   
reinstate the Star Fox team's contract and put them back on patrol. As a result the   
other governments in the system are scrambling to hire high quality mercenaries to   
bolster their own militaries," I said, tapping my finger on the table top for emphasis.   
  
"So where do we come in?" Anna said, crossing her arms. "My father sent me to find   
some new recruits to expand the team. The way he figures it, something's going to   
come to a head and when it does things are going to get very bloody, very fast. And   
he intends to survive it and make a profit while he's at it. My aunt Angela is already   
in, she'll be acting as our supply officer, her trading contacts should provide us with   
ample provisions and intelligence. Skyler, you can be a little too intense at times but   
you're the best damn mechanic and engineer I ever met. And Anna, when it comes to   
mindless violence, you've got no equal. Both of you know your way around a   
starfighter so the two of you are ideal candidates for the position," I explained.  
  
Both of them looked stunned for a moment. "You're asking us to join the Star Wolf   
team?" Anna said, deeply surprised. "Yes, I am. I need you because you two are the   
only ones in our business who I trust," I answered. "Well I'm in for a start," Skyler   
said enthusiastically. "You've seen those Wolfen-2's? They're sate of the art. Andross   
may have been a demented whacko but he sure knew a thing or two about ship   
design," He continued.  
  
Anna on the other hand just sighed for a moment. "While I may not share Skyler's   
zeal, I'm in as well. You saved our ass's that day on Charibdis and I owe you that,"   
She said, running her hand over the small scar under her jaw.  
  
"Besides, you remember Angela, man was she hot or what mate?" Skyler said   
excitedly, slapping me on the shoulder. My aunt Angela, my father's sister was only   
five years older than me. She was a smuggler, operating all over this part of the   
galaxy dealing in black market goods of all descriptions. And Skler was right of   
course, she was very attractive, I guess good looks just run in my family.  
  
Ignoring Skyler's hormone induced frenzy, I retrieved a small computer disk from my   
coat and placed it on the table. "Thanks guys, I knew I could count on you. This disk   
contains the time and coordinates for the rendezvous with my father's ship the   
Renegade in about three days time. The disk is encrypted to Silhouette 13's old data   
code. I'm sure you guys remember it," I said, smiling brightly as I stood up to leave.   
  
"Where are you going?" Anna asked head cocked to one side and her striped tail   
swishing from side to side. "I have some business to take care of, I'll see you two   
again in a few days," I replied as I turned. Then Anna said "Ah, l'amour," In a dreamy   
sort of tone, her French accent adding even greater emphasis. I stopped dead in my   
tracks and whirled round to face her and Skler who were grinning madly at me.  
  
"What? What are you talking about? I'm not in love. What makes you say that?" I   
said, bewildered and panicking slightly. "Listen mate, you were always the grim,   
cynical member of Silhouette 13. Like I said, you're looking particularly svelte these   
days. You've got something going and it's pretty obvious," Skyler explained,   
snickering.  
  
"Let's sum up the evidence shall we," Anna continued, "You've unclenched you're   
jaw, you're wearing your best thermoptics, your blaster is in a thigh holster rather   
than a gun harness so it doesn't get in the way during a passionate embrace and…"   
Anna paused a moment and sniffed a couple of times, "Are you wearing cologne?"   
She asked with a wicked grin on her face.  
  
Giving up, I threw my hands up in the air and said, "Alright I admit it, but this is not   
to leave this table," in an exasperated tone. "But, why must this be kept a secret?   
Surly this is good news, nes pas?" Anna said with a confused look on her face. "Yeah,   
who is she and have you boned her yet?" Skyler asked tactlessly.  
  
At that moment panic gave way to shock, shock gave way to anger and anger would   
have resulted in violence if Anna hadn't reacted first. Quick as a flash, she reached   
across the table, grabbed Skyler by the hair, threw off his shades and slammed his   
face into the tabletop.  
  
As Skyler recovered, rubbing his snout he said, "What the hell was that for, I was only   
asking a question." "I shouldn't have to tell you, you decerebrate imbecile," Anna   
shouted at him, almost as angry as me. "Skyler, has it ever occurred to you that the   
reason women refuse to go out with you could be you're total lack of tact, manors and   
social etiquette," I said growling.   
  
"Or perhaps it is simply because he is stupid?" Anna said, looking at Skyler through   
drooping eyelids, like a predator ready to pounce. "And for your information Skyler,   
who I go out with and what I do or do not do, IS NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMN   
BUSINESS," I said, my voice rising in anger.  
  
Skyler just shrank back into his seat. He'd always been too horny for his own good,   
way too many hormones in too small an animal. I then turned to Anna and said, "If   
you can keep him out of trouble, I'll meet you at the rendezvous point in seventy-two   
hours." And with that I turned and walked away. As I made my way to the door I   
could hear Anna muttering at Skyler angrily in French.   
  
Back out on the street, I found a public access terminal. Inserting a computer disk into   
it from my coat, the I.C.E-breaker program on it automatically hacked into the central   
Cornerian data net. Accessing the data files from the Cornerian space traffic tracking   
systems I found the information I wanted.   
  
Yes, Great Fox just touched down at New Fort Star star force base, twenty clicks   
outside of Corneria city. New Fort Star was constructed after the original Fort Star   
was destroyed by surprise orbital bombardment at the start of the Imperial invasion   
three years ago. With Great Fox on the ground, sneaking aboard is going to be a lot   
easier.   
  
At any other time in my life this would be a really bad Idea, but right now I'm past the   
concept of bad Idea's. I have to see her again; even if it gets me arrested I have to see   
her…  
  
  
To be continued…   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
